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Category Archives: Circular Connectors

When it comes to cables, everything can be a bit overwhelming. Thankfully when you look for it, there is a whole range of information available at your fingertips. While there is much available for your personal reading, sometimes things are best left to the experts, so depending on the difficulty and your ability, you’ll have to decide what’s best. Here we will address the common difficulty in understanding the difference between different types of cable connectors available for your use.

Having the wrong connector in operation is not only a time consuming and costly problem for you, but also incredibly disadvantageous to business.

Circular Connectors

The most widely used cable connect is of course the circular one. While it is hugely common, the rectangle type is also, making it sometimes difficult to understand why there is a need for these two different types.

The circular connector head is especially useful when it comes to an application that uses servo motors and harnessing. While dependent on your working environment, you should use a supplier that will be able to assist you with any information or requirements, as they are in the position to give you accurate advice on all things cable.

Before purchasing a circular connect, you should understand its durability quality and decide if it is fitting with the application it is about to be deployed into.

Rectangular Connectors

Considered for slightly more heavyweight applications than the circle version, the obvious distinguishing feature is of course the shape. You will primarily find the rectangular versions in processes where there is a greater danger threat to the cable. This could be through human error, hazardous interference or elemental conditions having an effect.

The fact that rectangular head connectors are less commonly seen is due to the fact that they are used in more industrial environments, whereas the circular connector is used across many household appliances.

Before plunging into the world of cabling and connecting up your applications, it is always advisable to consult the cable experts at organisations such as Lapp, as they are able to offer sound advice that keeps things efficient and moreover, safe.

Solar Connectors

A relatively new addition to the cable connector scene, the solar connectors are set to grow significantly with the embracing of solar energy. Somewhat once seen as a gimmick, the solar energy demand is growing significantly, and expects to reach the point where at least a house on every road will be seen to have a solar panel on their roof.

To achieve the best performance from your solar energy, the most effective transmission of the power is necessary. If your applications are constantly exposed to heat as many are, it will be totally worthwhile to engage in some preventative and protective strategies in the form of suitable connectors.

The Lapp Group have a wide selection of cable connectors available, with lines of both rectangular and circular connector housings. These have been designed to thrive in corrosive, electrically noisy or mechanically challenging environments.

EPIC Ultra is a particular range of housing that features nickel-plated zinc hoods and bases with stainless steel hardware. These corrosion resistant materials allow the new housing to survive in applications that would be challenging for housings that consist of traditional painted aluminum.

This range also features an integrated brush-style cable gland, which provides a fast and easy method to terminate a cable shield with a 360-degree, low resistance contact area. This feature forms a conductive shell alongside the nickel-plated housing, around the electrical contacts to virtually eliminate electrical interference.

The connector housing’s unique mechanical design improves both sealing and strain relief. EPIC® ULTRA’s built-in cable gland not only improves sealing and strain relief but also speeds assembly and eliminates a possible leakage point. Additionally, the lip seal between the top and bottom housing components has been recessed so it is totally enclosed by the housing when mated and latched. This design feature protects the lip seal from mechanical damage and exposure to UV radiation when installed outdoors.

Rectangular connectors are a system of housings, inserts and contacts that come together and provide robust, secure and easy to assemble solutions. There are a range of other connectors other than the EPIC Ultra variety including MC Modular, H-B Housings and HD Inserts. The latter is available from 3 pin contacts up to 64, but is dependent on your voltage and current requirements.

If you would like further guidance on ordering cable connectors, Lapp’s dedicated team are here to help and provide expert knowledge and advise you on the best connector for your application. You can contact them with your questions and queries by calling 020 8758 7800 or email: sales@lapplimited.com

Purchasing a new gadget is very exciting, but have you ever been in the situation where you don’t have all the necessary cables the moment you pull it out the box? Perhaps you have all the cables you need, but you are not sure how to use them?

In your home you will no doubt have many applications which require cable connectors to provide power, visuals and audio to your home entertainment devices. For example, to get the best possible experience from your television it is often quoted that you should look into a HDMI cable for optimum performance.

In terms of utilising the internet, there’s been a lot of buzz circling around the use of fibre optic cables and for very good reason. They offer the highest in speeds for networking and are slowly being rolled out as the go to connection for the web. As it becomes popularised all over the modern world, it is now the norm to have this type of connection.

For more heavy duty processes in your house, you may in fact have items that require cable connectors without even realising it. It is worth noting that any household that uses photovoltaics such as solar cables for example will be dependent on industrial connectors to help the power to be consistent and flow with ease.

If you are yet to invest in solar panels to give you renewable energy, it could be worthwhile to contact suppliers that will guide you through all the requirements.

Suppliers of cable products and services will be able to provide you with the very best connection all your applications need. Whether they are industrial or commercial applications, cabling services can be tailored to meet your specific requirements for many environments.

If you require further information on cable connectors and cabling services available, you can contact Lapp’s dedicated sales team by calling 020 8758 7800 or email them at: sales@lapplimited.com

Lapp Group has a selection of circular connectors available in the Epic® LS1 and M23 range, with an innovative right-angled A3 swivel base connector also available to purchase. Assembly couldn’t be any easier with the patented top cover that allows for simple mounting without the need of any tools, as well as its ergonomic and compact design.

The EPIC LS1 is suitable for power connections whilst the EPIC M23 A3 connector is ideal for control signals, and are both for use by machine tool, motion drive and robotics manufacturers. The patented swivel base mechanism makes these unique in the market. The base mechanism integrates a ratchet concept, is protected against vibration and holds the connector in 15° intervals adjustable over a 330° angle. The design provides a clearly defines and constant movement of force, which prevents any unintentional rotation when mounted on the device.

Both circular connectors comply with the requirements of DIN EN 61984, are rated to IP68 and approved to UL, CSA and VDE standards. The panel mount configurations which both connectors offer, fulfil simple cable-to-cable and cable-to-machine requirements. Both connectors are ideal for control signal transmission and servo drive encoder feedback applications in the plastics, printing, robotic and machine tool industries. Additionally they are ideal for other applications, whether industrial and commercial, where a compact, rugged connector is required.

The range of M23 Connectors by one of Lapp’s most reliable brands, EPIC are available in seven housing arrangements. These can accommodate three different keying positions and inserts are offered in a choice of seven contact configurations, which are for mounting male or female and crimp or solder contacts. Rugged nickel-plated zinc body, plastic contact insulation body and gold plated electrical contacts are common to all arrangements. Arrangements that are cable mounted also include an integral EMC shield ring and a built in Skintop® gland.

When used in combination they connect one cable with another (cable coupler) or a cable to fixed wiring in a control enclosure or on a machine or motor. In order to provide positive identification and visual differentiation in multiple connector installations, a colour coding system in put in place. Alternatively, colour coded keying rings ensure correct mating selection in applications where several connectors are mounted in the same location.

On the other hand, LS1 power connectors are available in five housing arrangements and two contact configurations. Rugged nickel-plated zinc body, plastic contact insulation body and gold plated electrical contacts are common to all arrangements. For multiple connector installations, colour marking is used to provide positive identification and visual differentiation.

Anyone who’s worked in the robotics industry will know that although all the technologies may be forever changing, the implementation of useful tools like circular connectors in their inner workings have been consistent throughout.

As they’re made of the most flexible yet robust materials, their usefulness when it comes to the movement of, for instance, a robotic arm is absolutely ideal. Not only will circular connectors be able to enable rotation to a variety of angles, they’ll also offer robust and defensible properties to the effects of exertive pressure over time. This means that as frequently as you utilise the function of a circular connector, their quality will not degrade.

In casual terms, these pioneering innovations manage this thanks to their swivel base mechanism which offers plenty in the way of movement. This allows the ratchet concept and therefore, the variety of degrees available is increased exponentially and adapts to its environment, just as the field of robotics does itself.

Another field which a circular connector has a proven track record in is the industry of automation where it is expertly implemented in the function of servo motors.

In the household, you’ll most commonly find servo motors present in your regular remote-controlled cars that the children play with but in the industrial sense, they are present across many applications.

For the interior of the servo motor, all you’ll notice is the bare basics as it’s all they require although they are still capable of packing quite a lot of power based against its small circumference. A potentiometer, D motor and control circuit are the only necessary components which then work in correlation with the connector to be enabled.

An innovation of the past but still one for the future, circular connectors will seemingly always have a home in the automation and robotic sectors.